Whole Hog for the Holidays

[KC_Bobby]

My brother and I are considering a small hog for the holiday meal. I found a listing off of Craigslist for about a 40 lb (estimated weight for 2 more weeks) finished, dressed ready to go hog for $35. Sounds too good to be true.

Thoughts? Is their anything I should be concerned about - as in getting a sick hog which could translate into sick family? $35 just sounds like a steal to me.

Now let's assume it's good - any tricks for smoking a whole hog? We'll be smoking in the Backwoods Competitor, so it will be standing up. Thinking about wrapping it in chicken wire. Not sure how long it will take.

[Divemaster]

My grandmother used to say, that if you buy a diamond ring for 10 cents, you’re probably going to get a ring that isn’t worth a dime…

I’d worry about it…

[KC_Bobby]

My only experience with buying meat is at supermarket prices, so don't know if that's really low or not coming directly from the farmer. I could care less about wasting $35. I just don't want to waste time or worse get us sick.

[Bbq Bubba]

Buying meat off Craigs list???
I guess if it is local and you can do some background on the supplier,
otherwise..............NOT!!

[KC_Bobby]

The guy seems to be a farmer or at least raise his own hogs. Here's the listing:
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/grd/500811431.html

[Roo-B-Q'N]

Bobby, go to your local meat locker and talk with them. I have bought several hogs and cows in the past and they can be trusted and you can actually tell them what you want. i.e. whole dressed hog versus cut up and processed any way you would want. Prices generally are dictated by the daily markets.

[ole'e]

I saw that same post. I believe that is just for the hog, it does not include any processing. I would just go to a meat market.
Eric

[KC_Bobby]

I been in email contact with the seller, and the $35 includes him having the pig ready for me to smoke - cleaned, head removed and legs cut under the shoulders and hams.

I called another meat company in the local area and it's only asking $1.85 per lb from the 40-50 ready to cook weight. So, maybe the $35 isn't really that low of a market cost if it's coming straight from his hog lot.

[Men-N-Blue BBQ]

Ive got a hog farm here in town and she sells hogs for $80.00 per 100lbs. $35.00 for a 30lbs or 4o lbs hog sounds about right. I think I would pick it up personally and inspect the meat before money transfer happens.

[lazybonesmoke1]

If its a local farmer I'd go for it. $35 is not a lot of money and you would help support local farmers.

[KC_Bobby]

He said it's corn fed amd laughed when I asked why only $35. He said that he'd consider himself lucky to get that at today's market prices.

The other option is to pay about $80 from a local meat locker - that's $1.85 per lb & tax.

It's not the money I'm concerned about, but it does seem low. Now on one hand I want to support the farmer directly and on the other hand I like the convenience and piece of mind with the meat locker. I'll get it figured out.


Anyway - how long would you all plan on it taking? Let's say I have a 40 lb oinker in there at 235. It usually takes me about 8 hours to do an 8 lb butt - surely the hour per lb here is not the case. I might bump the temp up in order to speed it up if necessary.

Again, it will be standing up inside the vertical chamber wrapped in chicken wire to hold it together

[KC_Bobby]

Well, I picked up the piggy tonight. I think it was born yesterday, this could end up being the smallest oinker ever smoked. I'll take pictures tomorrow as I season it with a few shakes of salt and pepper. I hope you all have large monitors so you can see it.

I was told it would be about 40 lbs dressed. I'm guessing I got one closer to 20 lbs. Of course, the person I made the deal with wasn't there I paid his mother. Being as the price was low to begin with, I just took it and emailed him when I got home.

I'm not going to worry about it and just have fun with it. I also have over 16 lbs of boston butt and a 13 lb brisket to cook so we won't be going hungry.

[chinesebob]

235 might be a little hot. I shoot for 200-225 and at that size aim for 9-11 hours. Check it at 6 hours and that should give you an idea. Check the hams and the butts though. That's the thickest.

Enjoy and don't forget the pics.

[Paulie G.]

I buy 70# roaster hogs here in PA for 1.49/#. You need to do your own math. I'd look close if I were you.

[KC_Bobby]

I received an email from the person that sold me the pig last night and he offered to let me decide the price for the pig and send me a check for the difference. Unfortunately, it's not the money, it's just that this pig doesn't have much meat on it - hardly worth smoking. If I would have known the pig was going to be so small, I would picked it up alive and let it live in my backyard for a few months (just kidding) but I would have ordered a larger pig from a locker.

In the grand scheme, it isn't a big deal (getting more pork to smoke was easy) and I really don't care about getting any money back. I only wish the seller would have informed me of the weight of the pig before slaughter. It's kind of a shame that an beautiful animal with such grand potential wasn't given his fair chance to fatten up to be ... well, all it could be. I'll shed a tear for the oinker as I pull it off the smoker.